The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1887-02-05
THE C.iSE Of DIR. FORD.

prISed at the turn OF attdlIS We Ter,
day at the opening Otthe trial Dl DR..
Thos. G.. Ford. of Schrevtport, for
the killing OF kirkpatrick in NOvem-
Der last. Through his attorney he
withdrew the plea formerly entered,
and pleaded guilty of man.
slaughter.
The case has attracted a great
deal Of attention. The accused is "a
man of the highest standing at
home, beloved aud hOnOIed by II
host OthiS fellow citizens. A physl-
clan second 10 none in his parish, a
public spirited citizen, a kind father
AMI husband and a true friend, he
was overwhelmed by Oue OF those
great dOmes iC miSfOrtuntS that
compel men to take the law into
their own hands,
The criminal code does not reCOg-
nize as a justification the last resort
OF honorable men to defend the
~sauctity of domestic life. Perhaps
II may De s0undpdblic policy not to
do 80. But the uuwritten law which
lives in the hrarts of all meu who
cherish the virtue of wOman and
the purity of the home circle, III the
pIesenceOt IA husbands or a fathers
vengeance visited upon the Seducrr,
will Use above all legislative enact
meutS.
When snch cases are put before a
.ry they are the strongest Of all
uemL tAtIOnS for men to violate their
Uaths tOuphuId the !ettprUt the law.
The COUNSEL for DR.. Ford there
tore wisely resolved 10 enter a plea
that would at dice put the CASE Oe>
fore the Board OF Pard0ns where it
will no doubt be speedily acted upon
aud Il full pardon granted.
The story is indeed a sad one, and
when the Board of PardJnS have
learned all the facts they cannot but
restore the prisoner to liberty. He
has natu ally shrunk from tue
dreadful ordeal of a public trial and
defense which would involve the
exposing to public ccusure of The
mother Of his children. 1t is left
for the board, therefore, OH grounds
of sound public policy tO remit
the penalty which the Judge must
impose.
The Times Democrat speaks as tol.
The trial of DR.. I. G. Ford, OF
SchreVepOrt, for the killing of j. g. |
Kirkpatrick in this city on the 81 OF
November last, was begun yesterday
in EectiOn A OF the Criminal Dls~
trict Court, and vas brought to n
sudden and unexpected close by the
withdrawal Of the plea Of not guilty
aud the substitution of the plea Of
OF manslaughter. The ground
Tor changing the plea Is such a.
must be ap+4EeElaLkd and approved
by ah-thR father deCltues, ever III
fptcfse of hiS lite, to expose to pub
ic CenSule the mother of his chill
lrtm.
The public is thoroughly familiar
With the details of the cri me to
"hich DR.. Ford has plead guilty.
Incident in the sad and shock
tragedy has been given to the
and it Ia matter for cOngrat.
that til" cOurSA adopted by
he defense has saved us from the
qualification of as narrowing aud
nOurnlul "a story as has ever been
tut into print-the story of u shat
cred home, blasted honor, and the
vengeUce Of the injured
husband and heart broken father OF
children who have been loudly bereft
# their mother.
The. is no phase of this distress.
ng history that has nOt been pre-
ented and discussed, and so far as
re have been able to ascertain, the
violence all 'Uints to the fact that
Ford took the earliest possible
.ppOrtunity to confront the destroy.
T of his home, after suspicion had
ryStaIIZed Into certainty. That
'Oint conceded, it is perhaps not toe
ouch to say that the maj does no;
We in the South who will life u
OiC0 Of cenSuT@ against the husband
tho took into his own hands ihe
ightiug Of ii wrong 80 deadly that
he law could offer uo possible re-
IeSS. !
Aside from the evidence in the {
aSe, the fact that IN DIR. FUrd'S own l
ONE, in all that portion of L0uis,
ana where hr is loved anu respected, -
here eVety a~ntecedent clrcum-
lance of the sad affaii IN known to
30 people, public opinion is
unanimously and enthusiastically in |
is favor, should have great weight. l
10 evil man ever drew t. him such u
number Ut warm and jealous
lends from all classes Of society As -
ave rallied around and chung to
'r. Ford in his hour OF great
'OuOle. His friends aud neighbOtS
bear strong testimony to the high q
laractPr, the gentle, almost woman G
tenderness Of his nature, and Il
testimony should always be d
Dnsidered. {
There will doubtless br an appli>
ItiUu made tUtlls Board of Pardun1
Sa7r DR.. Ford from theexecuti0n
the sentences which mast he pro
upon him 10y the court. |, ;,
ems 10 US theIe are strong grounds /